Johnson Touts Plan To Boost Voter Rolls

Divide Ocoee into districts and more residents will get involved in government -- that is the theory behind city commission candidate Rusty Johnson's single-member district proposal.

Johnson, 40, said he believes Ocoee would be better served by being divided into four districts, each represented by one commissioner. The mayor would be elected at large. That would force each commissioner to work for his district, Johnson said.

''I just feel that people will try to get involved where they live because it's easier. If you live in an area, you see the people every day and driving in and out, you see things that would be beneficial to an area,'' he said.

Johnson said he believes the proposed change would increase the number of registered voters in Ocoee. About 3,400 of the city's 12,000 residents are registered to vote. Ocoee traditionally has had low registration.

Most of the registered voters live south of Silver Star Road in the Sleepy Harbor and Prima Vista subdivisions. If other residents -- those on Wurst Road, for example -- felt they had a neighbor representing them, they would be more inclined to register to vote, Johnson said.

He said several natural geographical divisions could be used to divide the city into districts.

Johnson said he is unsure what the city should do about several key issues. He said he has not studied the sewer and water situation and cannot decide whether Ocoee should try to recover money from a developer who may have created drainage problems around lakes Peach and Moxie.

He said he is pleased in general with the city's operation and that is one factor that prompted him to run for office. He said the work city planner Russ Wagner has done has helped guide the city, and he believes Ocoee should continue a strong planning program to direct growth.

Johnson said he believes Ken Griffin, who resigned as city manager several weeks ago, can be replaced by advertising in publications that are circulated to city managers. He said he believes Ocoee will have to pay $35,000 to $45,000 to get a city manager of the caliber the city needs.

''Ocoee is in the process of growth. We need somebody who has been in that growth mode before,'' he said.